Disturbing CCTV footage has surfaced from the Rameshwaram cafe in Bengaluru’s Whitefield, showing a typically busy day at the well-known venue, followed by an explosion that left at least one woman lying on the floor and numerous other people running for their lives hours after the bomb blast that injured at least nine people. Low-intensity Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were utilized in the explosion which happened at roughly 12:30 pm on 1st March, confirmed Karnataka’s Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
While earlier it was reported as a cylinder blast, now it is confirmed that it was a bomb blast, indicating terror link.
A closed-circuit television camera mounted over a counter at the cafe recorded the seconds shortly before and after the incident. A waiter is ready to place a meal on the counter while customers are waiting for a table when the explosion tears through part of the cafe. Debris drops from the ceiling and when the smoke clears a female is spotted on the floor while another person tumbles while trying to get away. Afterwards, she turns and tries to stand up, but fails.
Servers milled around the counter before the explosion turned the video screen white and smoke plumes rose. Many people’s clothes were torn by the blast’s impact and multiple individuals sustained wounds. The injured were taken to the hospital when the police and Fire Brigade units cleared the scene.
CCTV footage of the explosion that took place at The Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru’s Whitefield area where several people were injured. NIA team to visit site of explosion. CCTV footage is being examined closely. Blast to be investigated as a terror attack. pic.twitter.com/rsZ79Qnqyr
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) March 1, 2024
Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is scheduled to visit the explosion site in Kundalahalli as per Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). Teams of police, fire department, forensics and a bomb disposal squad rushed to the scene. They were observed examining the explosion’s aftermath. The residents were drawn in as they noticed broken glass and furniture scattered across the cafe’s floor. Furthermore, a group of forensic specialists has begun gathering evidence and a dog squad also showed up at the place.
National Investigation Agency (NIA) is to visit the Bengaluru explosion site as per Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). The explosion took place at The Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru’s Whitefield area where several people were injured: Sources pic.twitter.com/hPIGXdSOcd
— ANI (@ANI) March 1, 2024
“An IED was used to cause the low-intensity blast. It has been recovered from the spot. Many suspects are on the radar,” claimed sources. The two primary perspectives that the agencies are examining are corporate competition and terror. “The eatery chain was doing good business. Signals were picked last week that rivals may try to tarnish their image,” sources added.
A police official stated, “We received a call about a cylinder blast in Rameshwaram cafe. Immediately, a fire engine was rushed to the spot. The incident occurred between 1.30 and 2 pm. We are probing it from all angles,” earlier in the day. However, it was later revealed to be an IED blast. Karnataka Chief Minister also mentioned, “We have learnt that someone had kept a bag there. We are examining the CCTV footage. We are still investigating. Police are at the spot. It was a low-intensity blast.” The suspect had breakfast at the cafe and left the bag, he added.
According to sources, police informed the chief minister that they didn’t find any other explosives except the one in the bag discovered on the property. The person who put the bag inside the cafe, according to Siddarmaiah, stole a token from the cash register. He noted that the cashier was under interrogation. The Chief Minister responded, “It’s unknown and investigations are in progress,” when asked whether the incident was a terrorist act.
He alleged, “It was not a large-scale blast, it was an improvised explosive blast. Such things have happened earlier too, it should not happen. Let’s see what it is. In recent times, such blasts have not taken place other than the incident in Mangaluru during BJP rule. This is the first such incident during our government.”
Siddaramaiah unveiled that CCTV footage showed a man placing a bag inside the cafe. He assured, “CCTV footage from the cafe is being examined. It has come to be known that someone had left a bag at the cafe. The accused in the incident will be punished,” while talking to the media in Mysuru.
A consumer and staff member were among the injured. The Chief Minister explained that their injuries weren’t critical. Hotel employee Farooq (19), an employee of Amazon (23), Mohan (41), Nagashree (35), Momi (30), Balaram Krishnan (31), Navya (25), and Srinivas (67) are the nine people injured in the blast.
Bharatiya Janta Party Lok Sabha MP Tejaswi Surya informed that he talked to the owner of the cafe who affirmed that the blast had happened due to a bag that a ‘customer’ left at the cafe. “Just spoke to Rameshwaram Café founder Sri Nagaraj about the blast in his restaurant. He informed me that the blast occurred because of a bag that was left by a customer and not any cylinder explosion. One of their employees is injured. It seems to be a clear case of a bomb blast,” he wrote on social media.
While the authorities look into the explosion, the area has been cordoned off. Notably, numerous Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) modules have previously been neutralized in Bengaluru. Many ISIS agents who were active there in the past have been eliminated.
